The history of Pharonic Egypt spans nearly 3 millennia,
starting around 3100 BC. Major accomplishments were
achieved during 3 periods: the Old, Middle and New
Kingdoms which lasted roughly 500 years (2700-2200
BC), 200 years (2000-1800 BC), and 500 years (1600-1100
BC). These periods were interrupted by intermediate
periods where loss of central authority or foreign
invasion led to decline.

The
ancient Egyptian civilization changed dramatically
over these 1600 years, and many of these changes
are reflected in how the tombs of the Kings and
Queens, Nobleman, and Workers were built and decorated.

There
are no more famous ancient sites within Egypt, or
for that matter elsewhere in the world, than the
Great Pyramids at Giza. They are, without question,
the icon most associated with the Egypt. They have
been both the main destination for tourists, and
a source of imaginative thought to the world for
over three thousand years.

However,
there are actually over 100 pyramids in Egypt,
many of which are relatively unknown to anyone
who is not an ancient Egypt enthusiast. All but
a very few are grouped around and near the City
of Cairo, just south of the Nile Delta. Otherwise,
only one royal pyramid is known in southern Egypt
(at Abydos), that being the one built by Ahmose,
founder of the 18th Dynasty and Egypt's New Kingdom.
It may have also been the last royal pyramid built
in Egypt.

Hence,
major pyramids were not built throughout Egypt's
ancient history. The Pyramid Age began with a
burst of building, starting with the 3rd Dynasty
reign of Djoser. Some of the early kings, most
specifically Snefru, built more than one pyramid.
Almost all of the kings added to their number
through the end of the Middle Kingdom, with the
possible exception of the First Intermediate Period
between the Old and Middle Kingdoms. After the
first Pharaoh of Egypt's New Kingdom, Ahmose,
royal pyramid building by Egyptians ceased entirely.
Somewhat abruptly the kings of the New Kingdom
chose, rather than making their tombs completely
obvious, to hide them in the hills of the West
Bank of Thebes (modern Luxor).

However,
smaller pyramids were constructed, for example
in the Deir el-Medina necropolis, by private individuals.
The Late Period Nubians who ruled Egypt also built
relatively small pyramids with much steeper sides,
though these were in fact constructed in Nubia
itself. This tradition was carried on in Nubia
after these southern rulers lost control of Egypt,
and eventually, more pyramids were actually built
in Nubia than Egypt, though on a much smaller
scale.

Other
pyramids in the world certainly exist, but their
purpose, for the most part, was different than
those of ancient Egypt. The most famous outside
Egypt are probably those located in Mexico and
to the south of Mexico, but these appear to have
been built more as temples. In Egypt, all but
a select few of the pyramids were built as tombs,
sometimes to hold the physical body of a pharaoh
(as well as other individuals), or to hold the
soul of the deceased (as in the case of the small
cult pyramids built next to the larger ones).
Otherwise, the purpose of only a few small, regional
stepped pyramids remains elusive.

While
pyramids were, for the most part, tombs for the
Pharaohs of Egypt, one must nevertheless question
the reason that Egyptian rulers chose this particular
shape, and for that matter, why they built them
so large. Today, we believe that they chose the
shape in order to mimic the Benben, a pyramid
shaped stone found in the earliest of temples,
which itself is thought to symbolize the primeval
mound from which the Egyptians believed life emerged.
This also connected the pyramid to Re, the Sun
God, as it was he, according to some of the ancient
Egypt mythology, who rose from the primeval mound
to create life.

As
far the great size of many of the pyramids in
Egypt, we can really only surmise that the Pharaohs
were making a statement about their own power
and perhaps, about the glory and strength of their
country. However, it should also be remembered
that many of the latter pyramids were not nearly
as large as the Great Pyramids at Giza (and elsewhere).

Pyramids
evolved. The first of them was not a perfectly
formed pyramid. In fact, the first Pyramid we
believe that was built in Egypt, that of Djoser,
was not a true pyramid at all with smooth sides
and a point at the top. Rather, its sides were
stepped, and the top of the pyramid truncated
with a flat surface (as best we know). As the
Egyptian pyramids evolved, there were failures
as well glorious failures until finally, they
got it right with what was probably the first
smooth sided true pyramid built at Meidum. In
fact, pyramids continued to evolve throughout
their history, perhaps not always in outward appearances,
but in the way that they were built and in the
theology surrounding their construction. For example,
towards the latter part of Egypt's Pyramid Age,
Osirian beliefs seem to have had more and more
impact on the arrangement and layout of the subterranean
chambers.

However,
soon after the first pyramids were built, their
form became somewhat standardized. Royal pyramid
complexes included the main pyramid, a courtyard
surrounding the main pyramid, a much smaller cult
pyramid for the king's soul, a mortuary temple
situated next to the main pyramid, an enclosure
wall and a causeway that led down to a valley
temple. Some pyramid complexes included subsidiary,
smaller pyramids for family members, and most
were surrounded by some sort of tombs for family
members.

Our
thinking on pyramids has evolved considerably
over the years. Many of us who are a bit older
were taught that the pyramids were built using
Jewish slave labor, which is a fabrication of
immense proportions. Most of the pyramids were
built long before the Jews made their appearance
historically and currently, many if not most scholars
believe they were not built using slave labor
at all (or perhaps a nominal number of slaves).

Otherwise,
we can also dismiss offhand alternative theories
related to aliens or some lost culture being responsible
for pyramid building. There is just far too much
evidence, including tools, drawings, evolutionary
changes, and even worker villages that rule these
farfetched ideas obsolete.

However,
some mysteries remain, even in some of the best
well known Pyramids. The most famous of them all,
the Great Pyramid of Khufu, continues, year after
year, to give up a few more secrets, and there
doubtless remains much to learn from these Egyptian
treasures. There may even be one or more pyramids
yet to be discovered.